Coverage dated January 28, 2024 to February 2, 2024

Biden Walks a Fine Line With Airstrikes on Iran-Backed Militants

Headline from Foreign Policy, on the newest of 5 developments

The U.S. hit more than 85 targets in Iraq and Syria—but not Iran itself.

Foreign Policy's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Earlier updates in this story

Developments in this update

5 dated developments, oldest first, newest marked. Each is named by one outlet's own headline; open its reports to see every outlet that covered it.

  1. Joe Biden under increasing pressure to strike Iran

    Headline from Newsweek ·

  2. Biden promises US 'shall respond' after Iran-backed militants kill US troops

    Headline from Foxla ·

  3. Iran Warns It Will Retaliate After Biden Says He’s Decided How To Respond To Killing Of 3 U.S. Soldiers

    Headline from Forbes ·

  4. Biden won’t hit Iran for killing three Americans — he helped the mullahs do it

    Headline from New York Post ·

  5. Newest

    Biden Walks a Fine Line With Airstrikes on Iran-Backed Militants

    Headline from Foreign Policy ·

1 report not tied to one development ·

Read the reports

Reports & sources

28 articles, oldest first.

  1. The Guardian

    Biden beware: US must fully consider response to soldiers’ deaths – or risk Iran escalation (opens The Guardian)

    Published

    The Guardian's feed description

    President is facing pressure from Republicans after numerous attacks on US bases by Iran’s proxies

  2. Al-Monitor

    Biden vows US 'shall respond' after troops killed in Jordan (opens Al-Monitor)

    Published

    Al-Monitor's feed description

    A drone attack on a base in Jordan killed three American troops Sunday, with President Joe Biden blaming Iran-backed militants and vowing to hold the perpetrators to account.It is the first time American military personnel have been killed by hostile fire in the Middle East since the start of Israel…

  3. Washington Examiner

    Biden administration maintains it doesn't want war with Iran following deadly attack (opens Washington Examiner)

    Published

    Washington Examiner's feed description

    The United States is not seeking a war with Iran following one of Tehran’s proxies carrying out a deadly attack on U.S. forces in the Middle East, according to a top administration spokesperson. An Iranian-backed militia that operates in Iraq and Syria carried out a drone strike on Sunday at a small…

  4. New York Post

    Biden’s appeasement of Iran is costing American lives (opens New York Post)

    Published

    New York Post's feed description

    Three American soldiers were killed in a drone strike by Iranian-backed forces in Jordan near the Syrian border, and at least another 34 were injured, but the Biden administration is still worried …

  5. CNN

    Biden risks deepening Middle East conflict with pressure to respond to deadly troop attack (opens CNN)

    Published

    CNN's feed description

    The deaths of three American troops in a drone attack Sunday has thrust the United States deeper into the Middle East conflict and lent fresh urgency to efforts at securing the release of hostages in Gaza in exchange for a prolonged halt in the fighting between Israel and Hamas.

  6. Al-Monitor

    Pressure mounts on Biden to confront Iran after troop deaths (opens Al-Monitor)

    Published

    Al-Monitor's feed description

    President Joe Biden faced intense political pressure Monday to retaliate against Iran for a deadly drone strike on US troops, posing a major challenge for the Democrat in an election year.Striking Iran would dramatically escalate the risk of the wider war Biden says he's trying to avoid -- not to me…

  7. Newsweek

    Joe Biden under increasing pressure to strike Iran (opens Newsweek)

    Published

    Newsweek's feed description

    "The only answer to these attacks must be devastating military retaliation against Iran's terrorist forces," Republican U.S. Senator Tom Cotton said.

  8. France 24

    Biden under pressure to confront Iran after troop deaths (opens France 24)

    Published

    France 24's feed description

    President Joe Biden faced mounting political pressure Monday to retaliate against Iran for a deadly drone strike on US troops, posing a major challenge for the Democrat in an election year.

  9. Oil Price

    Biden Weighs Options Following Iran-Backed Militia Attack on U.S. Troops (opens Oil Price)

    Published

    Oil Price's feed description

    Following a deadly drone attack on U.S. troops in Jordan by an Iran-backed militia, President Biden is under increasing pressure to respond, with options including strikes on Iranian proxies in Iraq and Syria.

  10. New York Post

    Biden decided response to drone strike that killed 3 US troops, says Iran ‘responsible’ but doesn’t want wider war (opens New York Post)

    Published

    New York Post's feed description

    WASHINGTON — President Biden said Tuesday that he doesn't want a war with Iran but that he decided how to respond after three US troops were killed in an attack in Jordan.

  11. The Washington Free Beacon

    Pressure Mounts on Biden to Confront Iran After Drone Strike Kills U.S. Soldiers (opens The Washington Free Beacon)

    Published

    The Washington Free Beacon's feed description

    The Biden administration is under immense pressure from Republicans and some Democrats in Congress to confront Iran and its terror proxies following a weekend drone strike by Tehran’s terrorist proxies that killed 3 U.S. service members and wounded 25 more.

  12. Al-Monitor

    Biden faces Iran dilemma after drone attack kills US troops (opens Al-Monitor)

    Published

    Al-Monitor's feed description

    The Biden administration is under pressure from Republicans to strike inside Iran after an attack by one of its proxies killed three American troops in Jordan.

  13. Politico

    Biden says US knows how it will respond to Jordan attack (opens Politico)

    Published

    Politico's feed description

    He says he holds Iran “responsible” but the US doesn't need “a wider war in the Middle East.”

  14. Politico

    Biden’s team is blaming Iran for American deaths. How will the US respond? (opens Politico)

    Published

    Politico's feed description

    The death of the service members in Jordan adds to rising Middle East tensions just as the 2024 voting begins.

  15. Foxla

    Biden promises US 'shall respond' after Iran-backed militants kill US troops (opens Foxla)

    Published

    Foxla's feed description

    “We had a tough day last night in the Middle East. We lost three brave souls in an attack on one of our bases," he said.

  16. Voice of America

    Biden Says He Has Decided on Iran Response (opens Voice of America)

    Published

    Voice of America's feed description

    Biden's order will be a 'tiered approach' encompassing 'potentially multiple actions,' says White House

  17. Forbes

    Iran Warns It Will Retaliate After Biden Says He’s Decided How To Respond To Killing Of 3 U.S. Soldiers (opens Forbes)

    Published

    Forbes's feed description

    Iran’s envoy to the U.N. said any attacks on “Iran’s territory, or its interests or citizens abroad” will face a “decisive response.”

  18. Quartz

    Iran threatens to 'decisively respond' to any US strikes as Biden weighs response to Jordan attack (opens Quartz)

    Published

    Quartz's feed description

    Iran has threatened to “decisively respond” to any U.S. attack on the Islamic Republic following President Joe Biden linking Tehran to the killing of three U.S. soldiers at a military base in Jordan

  19. CNN

    Opinion: Biden needs to follow Trump’s lead on Iran (opens CNN)

    Published

    CNN's feed description

    The death of three US service members in Jordan Sunday, along with more than 40 injured, is just the latest – and deadliest – example of Iranian-backed militias targeting American forces in the Middle East. Mark Dubowitz and Jonathan Schanzer call for the US to respond directly against Iran.

  20. New York Post

    Biden won’t hit Iran for killing three Americans — he helped the mullahs do it (opens New York Post)

    Published

    New York Post's feed description

    When President Biden finally responds to the deadly Iran-backed attack on American troops in Jordan, odds are he’ll both dispel the concerns of fearmongers hysterical he is going to bomb Iran.

  21. Al-Monitor

    Biden should respond to Iran with more than military strikes (opens Al-Monitor)

    Published

    Al-Monitor's feed description

    The United States could reset the terms of engagement with Iran ahead of a Gaza cease-fire.

  22. CNN

    Biden’s balancing act with Iran aims for deterrence, not a wider war (opens CNN)

    Published

    CNN's feed description

    President Joe Biden’s decision to strike 85 targets in Iraq and Syria on Friday in response to the death of three American soldiers last weekend amounted to a middle ground: short of a direct strike inside Iran, which would almost certainly spark a wider war, but still more expansive than any action…

  23. Foreign Policy

    Biden Walks a Fine Line With Airstrikes on Iran-Backed Militants (opens Foreign Policy)

    Published

    Foreign Policy's feed description

    The U.S. hit more than 85 targets in Iraq and Syria—but not Iran itself.

  24. NBC News

    Biden sends Iran a signal of deterrence — and restraint (opens NBC News)

    Published

    NBC News's feed description

    The airstrikes launched by the United States in Iraq and Syria are its biggest attacks against Iran-backed militants in the Middle East, but President Biden sought to avoid escalation into war.

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.

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